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As its name implies, the honey buzzard preys on bees, wasps and their larvae, biting off the sting before swallowing the insect. Wasps’ nests attached to buildings are often torn off in flight, while on the ground the predator excavates the nest with its feet. During breeding, prey is carried in the adult’s crop and fed to the nestlings. These yellow-eyed birds are rare in Britain. A few nest in southern England; others occur as passage migrants.

This edited article originally appeared in Look and Learn issue number 909 published on 23 June 1979. We are able to license textual material. Please contact us for details.